Witchcraft and Witchcraft in Ancient and Modern SocietyCultures that exist today have many similarities as well as differences. However, several cultural aspects have remained relatively consistent over time. Belief in one or more supernatural beings is generally the primary driving force of our cultural practices and can be seen as carried through the events and activities that are interpreted. Despite the presence of religion, belief in witchcraft and sorcery is prevalent in most cultures that have existed in the past or present. The only difference between the previously mentioned duration is that these practices decrease exponentially as society modernizes. Witchcraft and sorcery are aspects of culture that appear in every society. However, the distinction between the two is often misinterpreted and confused. The definition sought states that witchcraft is “the exercise or invocation of purported supernatural powers to control people or events, practices usually involving witchcraft or magic” (www.britannica.com). From an anthropological perspective, the main difference is that a wizard uses magic while a witch does not, although both can be seen as malicious practices. In an effort to condense the subject, the two can be seen as similar. Early ritualized practices, cave paintings, and other phenomena prove that witchcraft and witchcraft have existed since the beginning of human civilization. Evidence found by archaeologists suggests that such practices occurred around 40,000 years ago. Whenever a primitive society asks questions about the origin of humanity, life, problems and fear of the unknown, it tends to look to the supernatural as a means of answer..... . middle of paper ......ogy and medicine diminish the need for the "supernatural", and therefore the presence of both becomes exponentially less. Not all aspects of witchcraft and witchcraft have negative intentions and therefore should be considered equally. Both are called upon when society and science cannot provide answers. Works Cited Hays, Jeffrey. Shinto shrines, priests, rituals and customs, July 2011.www.factsanddetails.comwww.factsanddetails.comHaggerty, Barbara Bradley. After the tsunami, the Japanese turn to ancient rituals, March 17, 2011.www.npr.orgHallowell, Billy. People are burned alive and beheaded in New Guinea. June 10, 2013. Printwww.theblaze.comGibson, Marion. Witchcraft and society in England and America, 1550-1750. Ithaca, New York: Cornell UP, 2003. Print web: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/646051/witchcraft